Monday, August 13, 2012

Nationwide, many libraries are facing constraints from publishers on how ebooks can be used—publishers are limiting the number of ebook loans, perpetuating the print model of one user per ebook license purchased, and restricting consortial and interlibrary loans.
To address library concerns about the ebook market, the American Library Association (ALA) today released “Ebook Business Models for Public Libraries,(pdf)” a report that describes general features and attributes of the current ebook environment and outlines constraints and restrictions of current business models. Additionally, the timely report suggests opportunities for publishers to showcase content through public libraries.
The report was created by the ALA Digital Content & Libraries Working Group (DCWG), an ALA working group created to address digital content issues and assist libraries in the adoption of new digital formats and content. Read More